


You Were Gone When I Got Home

by fyf



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Carl is also in the story but not as Rick's son, Lori is in this story but not as Rick's wife, M/M, Rated E for later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-03 04:14:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4086271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fyf/pseuds/fyf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick and Daryl are a couple before the apocalypse. They have a fight and Daryl leaves, Rick wakes up from his coma in the hospital alone. Will he find Daryl and what will happen if he does? What challenges will Rick have to face out in the new world?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired from a story wrote by Insane1001, [ Lost and Found ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3638295)

Rick put his now empty beer glass down forcefully on the bar.

“Give me another” he slurred slightly, raising his hand to the bartender; who walked over to stand in front of Rick. 

“I think you've had enough. Perhaps you should go home. See, Daryl is it?” the bartender suggested. Rick's brow furrowed in confusion. 

“How'd you know about him?” he asked. The bartender leaned on the bar in front of him, arms outstretched with both palms facing down. 

“Well, you've only been talking about him all night” he smiled. “And by the sounds of it, you should really go home and fix whatever is broken. It sounds like you really love him” Rick nodded; his mind swimming he pushed himself up from the bar stool. Swaying from the alcohol. The bartender reached over the bar to grab Rick's arm and steady him. Tugging slightly to gain Rick's attention. 

“Do whatever it takes okay? I don't want to see you in here again complaining you've lost him” He let go and smiled once more at Rick; nodded his head in the direction of the door. Rick smiled back, turning to slowly make his way out of the bar. 

Rick shivered once outside, the cold breeze hitting his bare arms, he'd raced out the house in only his t-shirt, forgetting to pick up his jacket. He managed to catch a cab, told the driver his address and slumped down in his seat; head against the window watching the street lights pass. 

**

Rick paid the driver, and nodded his thanks. Stumbling his way up the drive, he noticed Daryl's bike was missing. Panic spreading through his chest, he quickly opened the front door and stepped into the front room, shutting the door behind him. 

“Daryl?” he called, grabbing the back of the sofa to steady himself, the alcohol still making his mind cloudy. No response. 

He stood there for a few moments, letting his eyes adjust to the dark when he spotted something on the table, he slowly made his way around the sofa to the coffee table, picking up the piece of paper. He lifted it and turned it so it was illuminated by the glow from the street light coming in from the front window. 

_Rick,_

_Gone to Merle's to cool off. Will be back in a few days._

_Daryl._

Rick sighed, he knew all that he could do was to wait for Daryl to come home. Chasing after him or calling him would most likely push Daryl away further. Feeling defeated, he sat down on the sofa and toed off his boots. He moved one of the cushions so that it was leaning against the armrest, and laid down; head against the cushion. He tucked his feet under the cushion at the other end and closed his eyes; letting sleep wash over him. 

**

Rick woke for his shift, feeling slightly worse for wear. The noise from the birds chirping outside feeling like it was reverberating around his head, tenfold the actual volume. He opened his eyes wearily and took his phone out of his pocket, to check the time. He had 20 minutes to get dressed and get to work. 

Rick arrived at work, 5 minutes late, but with his track record of always being on time, no one commented. He sat down at his desk, opposite his partner Shane, who grinned upon looking up at Rick. 

“Big night?” he asked. Rick laughed drily, wincing when the movement sent a jolt of pain through his head. 

“Nope.” he sighed. “Daryl and I had a fight and I ended up getting drunk alone in a bar” he looked up to see Shane looking at him intently, clearly waiting for him to explain further. Rick took a deep breath and carried on. 

“We had had a fight and things got pretty heated and I stormed out, I guess my reason was if I left quick enough I wouldn't have to be there when he decides he wants to end it you know? Anyway, when I came home from the bar, his bike was missing and he'd left a note saying he'd gone to Merle's to cool off and he'd be back in a couple of days” Rick finished, taking a sip of his coffee before placing it down on the table and sliding the cup he brought for Shane over to the man. Shane was quiet for a moment. 

“Do you think he will?.. End it I mean?” Shane asked, his voice low. 

“I don't know. I hope not, but this fight was big. Bigger than any one we've had before” Rick ran his fingers through his hair, still damp slightly as he didn't have time to dry it fully this morning. 

Shane was quiet again, mulling over what Rick had said. 

“I don't think he'll leave. Not that he's opened up to me about it or anything but I can tell he loves you a lot. I don't think he'd throw that away” He let out a breath, and stood up from his seat, moving around the desk towards the door. “Come on, lets go, we're due on patrol. I bet it's going to be uneventful as per usual. We can talk more in the car if you want?” 

Rick got up from his seat and followed Shane out of the door, out of the precinct towards their car. 

If only Shane knew how wrong he would be. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I will hopefully be posting more regularly now.
> 
> Unbeta'd, all mistakes are my own (please feel free to tell me any)

Rick wandered down the street, slow and still disorientated. Confusing thoughts and images swam around his mind.

He'd woken up earlier that day, alone in a hospital room. He had called for a nurse, for anyone but had received no answer.

An uneasy feeling in his gut and a little while later, he'd struggled out of bed. After a few falls, he'd made it to the door, only to open it and have the doorway blocked by an empty hospital bed.

He'd leant forward, resting his palms flat on the bed and looked left and right down the hallway. His uneasiness grew.

The corridors were strewn with dirt and what looked like covered bodies. He'd slowly shuffled forward and pushed the bed out in front of him.

He'd stepped out into the corridor cautiously. Nervousness settling into his bones.

He'd wandered along the halls trying not to throw up at the pungent smell of death. The ceilings were broken and slightly decayed. Wires hung down, some touching the floor, tiles were missing. He only stopped walking when he'd come to a chained up elevator.

DON'T OPEN, DEAD INSIDE the doors had read. He'd stood for a moment, comprehension not yet coming to him.

The chains started rattling, the doors were being pushed from the inside of the shaft. Then came the hands. They pushed through the gap the movement had made between the two doors. Clenching and unclenching as they tried to grab what was beyond the door.

Panic setting in, he turned to walk out into the parking lot. Once he was there, he wished he'd stayed inside.

The scene in front of him was the worst he'd ever seen, and after years on the force, he'd seen some pretty awful things.

Helicopters lay broken and destroyed on the grass and gravel. Tents adorned with the words 'First Aid' lay abandoned.

What shocked Rick most, was the rows and rows of bodies. Covered with white sheets, as the living often did to the dead.

Rick had made his way through what once was the parking lot, now a makeshift cemetery. He sucked in a sharp breath as he got to the crest of the hill that lay beside the hospital.

In the distance, beyond the field, he saw crashed cars and more bodies littering the roads.

He set off walking.

A dog barking a few houses down brings Rick back to the present, walking down the street where his house sits.

Once Rick enters his house, he shouts for Daryl. No answer.

Of course, Rick realises belatedly, he'd gone to Merle's to cool off.

An open drawer down the corridor, in the dining room catches his eye. He can't remember leaving it open before he'd gone on his shift.

He wandered down the hall and into the room. Looking around, the uneasy feeling returns.

Empty picture frames, clothing and a few more random items are strewn across the floor.

Rick wandered over to the table, leant on it for support and pulled out a chair. Pulling his hand back, he rubbed his fingers together.

He looked down, a layer of dust covered the table. The more Rick looked, the more he could see that everything in the room was covered too.

That definitely wasn't right. Rick would never let it get like this, Daryl certainly wouldn't either. In fact, it looked like no one had been living there for a while.

Rick pushed himself up from the table and wandered into the living room. He patted a cushion on the sofa and a cloud of dust rose up from it.

Rick shouted for Daryl one more time, trying to push the fear in his chest down.

No answer.

Feeling a wave of nausea and panic, Rick went outside, all he could think to do was to shout for help. He needed someone, anyone. He felt so alone and confused.

Groans broke the silence. Increasing in volume as Rick continued shouting.

A figure appeared at the end of the street, it shuffled it's way down the road towards the cause of the sound.

Rick could feel himself growing weaker, feel his legs start to shake and his eyes fight to close with over exertion.

Another figure appeared at the end of the yard in front of him. This time, moving faster than the other he'd seen.

The figure made it's way towards him.

Rick's eyes fell shut and his legs gave out before the figure came into focus.

\----

Rick awoke disorientated and distressed for the second time that day.

He blinked rapidly to clear the sleep from his eyes. The room came into view.

It was fairly dark, only being illuminated by a few candles spread around. Blankets were covering the windows and the door had a large wooden plank nailed across the back of it. The wallpaper was white with vertical strips of flowers down it. The furniture had been moved into a corner of the room. There were two old velvet chairs, one red, one green. There was an old coffee table, carved wooden legs with a glass top. There were three tall floor lamps.

In their place was a mattress on the floor with a tattered sheet on it. There were two bedside tables on either side, with some more candles placed on top.

On the mattress, sat a person. Rick didn't recognise him.

"I've been here before" Rick said, voice still croaky from minimal use. "This is the Smith's house. Who are you?"

"I'm Morgan" the man replied.

"Why are you here? Where are they?" Rick asked.

"I don't know who or where they are. I'm here because it was the closest house to run into at the time. I had to get away fast" Morgan answered.

"What are you talking about? Why did you have to get away fast? Who were you running from?" Rick asked, Morgan's answers not helping him understand anything.

"Running from what more like. I call them Walkers. Those things shuffling outside? They're not people anymore. I don't know if they're dead or just infected, but they're definitely not human"

Morgan picked up a cup of water from the floor and handed it to Rick.

"Drink, you need it"

Rick looked down at the drink, hesitantly reaching out his hand.

"It's fine, look" Morgan took a sip of the water and held it out once again for Rick. Satisfied, Rick grabbed the cup and brought it to his mouth. Holding back the moan when the water hit his tongue, he had no idea when he had last had a drink.

"What is going on? I only woke up this morning, went home to find no one there and some belongings thrown on the floor, and now you're telling me you have no idea where the Smith's are, and that dead people are walking the streets?" Rick asked, disbelief evident in his voice. He shook his head. "You're crazy" he said.

"What were you in hospital for? When did you go in? Has anything bit you?" Morgan asked, ignoring Rick's comment.

"Gunshot wound, and April I think, and no, nothing has bit me. You're the first person I've seen all day"

"April? It's almost the end of July now. Can I check your wound, just to be sure?" Morgan said.

"July!? I thought I was only out a couple of days. I've been out nearly three months? I don't believe you" Rick shook his head again.

"Believe me" Morgan said, getting up and crouching down next to him. He started unravelling Rick's bandage. Rick's brow furrowed and he put his hand on his ribcage. Morgan looked up at him.

"Just let me check then I'll let it go" Sighing, Rick dropped his hand.

A few minutes later, Morgan finished re-applying a fresh bandage he had found. He had confirmed Rick was telling the truth, posing no threat to him by turning.

"Look, I'll prove what I've been saying. Come on" He stood up and bent down to help Rick up.

A pained groan left Rick as he extended his body to full height. Morgan helped him make his way over to the window.

Slowly, Morgan pulled back the curtain slightly, revealing a sliver of the road that lay beyond the house.

"Walkers" Morgan explained.

Rick looked out the window, to see the named Walkers shuffling around aimlessly at a slow pace.

"They're almost dormant like that most of the time. Until you get too close, or make too much noise, then they're just on you. I don't know why but they attack what's alive." Morgan explained again. He released the curtain and taped it back onto the window frame.

"What happened?" Rick asked quietly.

"I don't know how it started exactly, but I saw it on the news. They were telling us to stay in our houses, to only go out if absolutely necessary. Then came the reports of some sort of disease spreading. We were told that if we knew someone who'd been bit lately to take them to the nearest hospital. Next thing I knew, the army are coming around and telling us we needed to evacuate. That it wasn't safe to stay anymore. That's when I knew something was seriously wrong. I packed my things in my car and tried to leave but I got stuck on the highway out of town, the roads were jammed with so many cars. Then I don't know what happened next but people started screaming, running around like something was chasing them. I stepped out of my car to see a person on the floor being pinned down by something crazy. The thing bit her, just started ripping into her flesh and chewing it like she was a meal. I grabbed what I could and got out of there. Then when I came to this street, I ran into a pack of Walkers, just milling around. They must have heard me or something because one just turned and looked at me and then they all were coming towards me and I ran into this house to escape. Hid upstairs until they stopped trying to get in"

Rick couldn't speak. No words presented themselves. He honestly couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted so badly to be asleep, to still be dreaming in that hospital bed. He pinched the crook of his elbow, hissed when pain spread through his arm.

"You're not dreaming" Morgan said, as if reading his thoughts. "Trust me, I wish this was a dream too"

Shaking, Rick lowered himself to the ground. He leant his head against the wall behind him. He let out a large sigh. Morgan moved to sit beside him.

After a few minutes, Rick spoke up.

"I need to find my boyfriend" Rick said. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Morgan nod.

"Before the broadcasts went off, there was talk of a refugee camp in Atlanta. He might be there"

Rick nodded, trying to push himself to his feet. Morgan grabbed his arm, stopping him from standing.

"Rest first. You're going to be no good to anyone in your condition"

Rick wanted to argue, but his body had already sided with the other man. He fell harshly back down on the floor.

Before falling back asleep, Rick felt Morgan lay him on his side and place a pillow beneath his head and a blanket over his body.

\----

Next morning, Rick was dressed in his deputy's uniform, Morgan having gone to his house and retrieved it.

They'd already practised taking down Walkers, which had resulted in Rick falling down himself, still weak from his time in hospital.

"Come with me to Atlanta" Rick said. They were now sat in the front room of the house, waiting for a tin of beans to cook on the small portable stove.

"What?"

"Come with me. What do you have for you here?" Rick asked, gesturing to the small room around them. A thoughtful look spread across Morgan's face.

"You sure?"

"Definitely. I could use the help getting there and you wouldn't be alone anymore. Plus I'm pretty sure you saved my life, if I'd stayed outside shouting, they would have gotten me for sure. So I owe you" Rick replied.

Morgan was quiet for a few moments.

"First off, you don't owe me anything, it's just what people do. Second, I'll join you. You're right, what do I have that's keeping me here" Morgan looked at Rick and smiled.

"It's settled then, at first light tomorrow we'll set off. We can stop at the station to gather guns. I know you told me we're not supposed to use them, but it won't hurt to be protected if things turn ugly" Rick said.

Morgan hummed in agreement, his attention now focused on sharing out the beans between them.

\----

Just as they agreed, at the break of day, Rick and Morgan travelled silently down the main road of the town, making their way towards the police station.

Once inside, Rick headed straight for the gun cabinet, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw it had remained relatively untouched. He walked to the cupboard and pulled out two duffel bags and filled them with varying sizes of guns and packets of accompanying ammo.

He handed one of the bags to Morgan and they made their way out into the parking lot.

Rick took out the keys to the police cruiser he had shared with Shane. He put the key in the lock and twisted it, opening the car. He and Morgan threw the bags onto the back seat then climbed in the front.

Rick put the car in reverse and backed out of the lot, he changed gears and drove out of the precinct grounds.

Both men sat in a comfortable silence as they made their way down the road to Atlanta.

Unaware of what lay ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated, they keep me motivated! (Also if you didn't enjoy this chapter as much, feel free to tell me why, I know my writing is different now)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own.

Rick stood back as Morgan looked into the window of the run down house. Comfortable silence filled the distance between them.

"They aren't going to be any bother" Morgan said, voice certain and powerful.

"You sure?" Rick asked, unwary of the new world he'd come to know. Morgan nodded steadily.

"Yep. Shot themselves, in the head too. Smart. They aren't coming back" Morgan answered easily. Rick gulped thickly.

"Okay, let's go get them then" Rick said. He picked up the gun bag and Morgan picked got the backpack he'd filled with supplies and the two men walked through the side gate to the back of the house.

The garden was large, the once green grass was now brown and dry, breaking as the sun shone down and few showers of rain came down upon it. There were raised flower beds all around the edges of the garden and an old set of table and chairs lay in the middle of it. The fence at the bottom of the garden was smaller on one side and a small gate lay between the men and the extended garden.

Rick and Morgan moved quietly through the garden and slowly opened the gate. Morgan smiled and looked back at Rick as his suspicions were confirmed.

"Told you they had horses. Knew I heard them as we came past" Morgan said. "You ever ride on of these?" Morgan asked as he helped Rick up onto one of them.

"Yeah. A long time ago though. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon enough" Rick replied.

"Okay then. We'll go slow at first" 

Morgan opened gate in the pen so Rick's horse could move out into the field, he climbed on his own horse after. They met at the road.

"Atlanta then?" Rick asked. Morgan nodded in response.

The two men and their horses set off.

\----

Two days had passed and the men had just arrived on the outskirts of Atlanta. Already, Rick had a bad feeling about what lay ahead of them.

The quiet of the countryside was broken as they made their way down the road that led into the city. The moans were carried on the wind that swept between the tall buildings and down empty streets.

Neither man dared to add to the noise, both nervous about what they thought was a safe place and scared to draw attention to themselves.

Eventually, they both drew to a halt. Rick gasped as he took in the view ahead of him. He felt sick and heartbroken.

Atlanta had been overrun.

The streets were littered with dead bodies and walkers milling around. There were broken signs that used to point to the refugee camps. Burnt out cars spread across streets. 

Rick's mind began to race. Daryl couldn't be here. He couldn't be one of the walkers he could see walking around, searching for their next meal. He couldn't be. He had to be somewhere else, somewhere safe. If not here, where? Rick tried to push down his fear before it seized him, he had to stay focused, had to carry on searching for him.

"I'm sorry" Morgan said quietly, bringing Rick back to the present.

Rick's eyes shot to Morgan's. The other man looked sorrowful.

"Why?"

"Because I brought you here. I said this would be safe, that you could find who you're looking for here. This must have happened after the broadcasts stopped. Last I heard, this was the best place to go" Morgan replied, his eyes moving beyond Rick, back to the sight in front of them. He shook his head slightly, sighing.

"It's not your fault. How were you to know? We'll just have to keep looking" Rick answered, trying to keep his voice steady. He had no idea where to start.

"Okay. Let's try to stick to the edge of the city. Maybe there's less Walkers that way"

The two men set off again.

\----

An hour later, they were free of the city and were heading out into the countryside again when they heard a truck  
approaching.

They stopped the horses as the truck stopped behind them and the doors opened.

The men climbed down from their horses and turned around to see who had climbed out.

A laugh burst from Morgan's throat. Rick's head tilted in confusion as he looked between Morgan and the two men who had climbed out of the truck.

"Morgan?" One of the other men asked. Morgan opened his arms and stepped towards the other man.

"Glenn!" Morgan cried as the other man stepped into his embrace, closing his arms around him. "It's been a while. Boy,  
am I glad to see you"

Once they had released each other, Rick spoke up.

"I take it you two know each other?" 

"Yeah, Morgan was one of my Aunt's friends from high school. Known him all my life" Glenn told Rick. Glenn turned to Morgan, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Glad you made it. Who's your friend here?"

"Oh, sorry. This is Rick. We met each other back home. He was stumbling around out on the streets by himself. Poor guy had been in a coma, just woke up a few days ago"

Glenn nodded, turned back to the man who hadn't spoken still.

"This is Jim. Met him back at camp". The man held up his hand and gave a small wave.

"You have a camp?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, you can follow us back to it. You're more than welcome to stay with us" Glenn confirmed.

Glenn and Jim climbed back in the truck and set off once Morgan and Rick were seated on the horses again.

\----

The sun was almost setting when they reached the camp. They'd had to go slow so the horses could keep pace with the truck, and not be worn out.

The sky was a pale orange and pink mix, that gave the end of the day a dim yet vibrant feel. 

The four men pulled up the camp, that was situated on the edge of a tall quarry, with a lake at the bottom of the cliff.

Jim spoke up for the first time, addressing Rick and Morgan. 

"We'll put up a tent for you tonight and we'll introduce you to everyone tomorrow. They should all be here then, two of us have gone hunting, they normally go for a few days at a time and they're due back tomorrow"

Rick and Morgan settled into neighbouring tents.

Rick let out a breath as he lay flat on the ground, feeling the events of the past few days seep into his bones. He was exhausted but his mind wouldn't fully rest. He was still worried about Daryl, still wondered where he was, if he was even still alive.

His breath caught at the thought. He couldn't afford to think like that, Daryl had to be alive. Only person who could kill Daryl was himself. No matter how harsh this new world was, he knew Daryl wouldn't let it beat him.

Eventually, he felt his eyelids grow heavier, his thoughts starting to slow and become peaceful.

Just before sleep took him for the night, a fleeting thought passed the forefront of his mind. Who were the two men set to return tomorrow?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long gap between posting.
> 
> Comments and feedback are appreciated! (I know this may not be as good as other chapters. Criticism is also appreciated, just please don't be too harsh)


End file.
